Oct 19 (Interfax) - Russia's timber exports could total $4.5 billion in 2001, head of the Industry Ministry's forestry industry department, Boris Bolshakov, told Interfax. Russia's timber exports increased around 12% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2001. Timber exports exceeded $4.1 billion in 2000. Russia's export potential totals up to $70 billion, Miron Tatsyun, president of the union of the timber industry and timber exporters, told Interfax. Tatsyun said Finland, whose wood reserves are comparable to those of Karelia, exported $11 billion worth of timber in 2000.